By Yolanda Romero
Staff Reporter

Sr. Mary Doris, director and founder of Siena House, a refuge for homeless women in the Bronx, celebrated her 50th Golden Jubilee on September 9 at the Sacred Heart School’s auditorium on Nelson Avenue. The festivities marked 50 years of services to her community membership—the Dominican Sisters of Bladvelt—and her church.

Fr. Mike Epps provided his blessing for the surprise party. . The room was filled with guests including longtime friends, retired co-workers, and even volunteers from a shelter in Boston. Also in attendance were Councilmember Helen Diane Foster, Br. Ed Phelan, Highbridge Community Life Center’s Executive Director, and Sr. Mary Malone, President of Sisters. Of Sr. Dominic.

Sr. Doris was presented with Proclamations from the Borough President and City Council, as well as a City Comptroller’s Citation, for her years of dedication to the Highbridge community.

“I lived with her right across the street from 979 Ogden, where we first taught adult education from 1983 to 1987,” said Sr. Mary Collins, who has known Sr. Doris for more than 10 years. “ And everyday I saw her generosity to everyone in the neighborhood.”

Of Sr. Doris’ 50 years of service, twenty-six have been spent right here in Highbridge.. Sr. Doris credited Sr. Mary Lovette, one of the founding members of the Highbridge Community Life Center, with launching her illustrious career of community service.“She invited me to stay one day,” Sister Mary said, “and I never left.”

Sr. Doris was born in Scotland and raised in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. Her service career began at Sr. Margaret School in Peal River, New York,where she taught first, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. In 1980, Sister Doris arrived in Highbridge, where she taught G.E.D, classes to youth who were dropping out of schools. After awhile, Sr. Doris said, community residents and even staff were signing up for the courses.

One staff member was Judy Oscaio, who worked for the Highbridge Community Life Center for 17 years and was one of Sr. Doris students. Ocasio recalled Sr. Doris telling her, “You don’t belong here. Get up and take the test and I know you will pass with flying colors.” Apparently, the encouragement worked- Ocasio indeed passed the test.

After teaching the G.E.D. classes for several years, Sr. Doris became very concerned about the welfare of her students, many of whom were female. Many of these students, Sr. Doris said, were pregnant and living in overcrowded apartments.

“All I wanted was to have a home and take at least 4 or 5 of them and keep them safe,” Sr. Doris recalled wistfully. This desire eventually spawned Siena House, after an initial obstacle was overcome: Sr. Mary had eyed one potential location to provide housing to her community, but the building turned out to be coveted by none other than Mother Theresa, who wanted to use it for an order of priests from California. Eventually, Mother Theresa decided to keep the order in California, and Sr. Doris met with Cardinal O’Connor and the City, who together approved the Siena House. The building opened in January of 1990.

Sandra Terry, who worked with Sister Doris for several years before retiring in 1996, said she was overwhelmed to see her former colleague again. “She taught me so much compassion,” Terry said,. “And she understood the needs of the community. To see her vision come true, that is what blessing is all about.”